Kottayam is situtated in the Kottayam district, Kerala. It is one of the main centers of the literature and hence called Akshara Nagari or Land of Letters. Malayalam dailies like Deepika, Mangalam, Malayala Manorama, were started and are headquartered in Kottayam.

The city is also known as the Chuvarchithra Nagari (City of Murals). It has an average elevation of 3 meters above sea level. It is situated in the basin of the Meenachil River and in the basin of the Vembanad backwaters, which are formed from various streams in the Western Ghats in Idukki district.